Training Tower Blessing

*Today was the dedication of the new Training Tower. Several people spoke and then firefighters demonstrated the various uses of the training tower. Two sections of hose were uncoupled as a sign of the “opening” of the training tower. Below is Chief Moody’s speech.

The Training Tower project got its beginning around three years ago as a request of mine and Captain Tony Yahghjian’s for left-over sales tax funds. The dream project was to build a training tower. Our request was accepted by the sales tax committee. Afterwards, the funds sat idle until we could figure out how to acquire some additional funds needed.

From there it was the much grander vision of Captain Troy Jellison, Butler Community college Program Director Terry Love, and Chairman Anita Mills. They requested the college to pay the cost of the training tower itself – the actual building. The request was proposed and given the green light by the college board of trustees.

How it worked was the college paid the cost of the tower while the city paid for the property, concrete footings, concrete drives, electrical, and the placement of a fire hydrant.

So, here we are today giving our thanks. I applaud City Manager Herb Llewyln, the mayor, the commissioners, Dr. Krull, Annita Mills, and the Board of Trustees, for seeing the need of a tower without having its construction be a tragedy driven one.

Special thanks also goes out to Scott Rickard, Brad Meyer and Kurt Bookout and their men for the awesome work they did on the project – specifically all the concrete work and the placement of a fire hydrant.

The importance of this building is those who train with it are honing their lifesaving skills. It’s kind of like a football team. You practice all week for the Sunday game knowing the team is only as good as they are practiced.

As we gather here today, it only seems right that the building be blessed. So, please join me with the

“Blessing of the Tower”

Lord, many will use this facility to train as emergency responders,

Any emergency operations training brings with it a certain amount of danger,

Father, we ask that you bless this facility and the men and women who use it.

Through the training provided may the emergency responders save lives and protect their own